Electric signal apparatus



1,586,341 F. S. TUCKER ELECTRIC SIGNAL APPARATUS Filed May 5, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 25 1926 May 25 1926.

F. S. TUCKER ELECTRIC SIGNAL APPARATUS Filed May 25, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor S. ,fMjM

Patented May 25, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK S. TUCKER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO EDXVIN P. SEVERANOE, OF WINTHROP, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL APPARATUS.

Application filed May 25, 1921. Serial No. 472,345.

This invention relates to electric signal apparatus and more particularly to electric signal apparatus of the type disclosed in the patent to Frank S. Tucker N0. 1.23%),14-L1, dated September 4t, 1917, by which code signals are produced on one or more alarm devices, preferably a number of electric hells placed in different locations to call the person wanted. Such a system is particuln-lv adapted for use in factories and stores to enable men who are in different parts of the factory or store to be called to the office or telephone by ringing the code signal on the several bells in the different locations.

The object of the invention is to improve apparatus of this character and more particularly to improve the construction of the apparatus controlling the intermittent electric current sent over the circuit to produce the signals in order to simplify the same and to render its operation more efiicient.

Onefeature of the invention resides in the provision of :a single movable member having therein a series of rows of notches arranged to operate a circuit actuating device to transmit the desired code signals. The notches in each .row are arranged to correspond with a different code signal. Provision is made for selectively moving the member to present different rows of notches to the circuit actuating device in order that different :code signals may be transmitted by a movement of the single member.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of indicating mechanism operatively connected to the movable member 50 that the particular row of notches that is in position to cooperate with the circuit actuating device to transmit the signal may be readily observed by the operator.

Other features of the invention will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claim.

. In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the signal box and controlling mechanism with a portion of the box broken away; and Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the signal box with the cover removed showing the controlling mechanism in front elevation.

As in the above mentioned Tucker Patent No. 1,239,141, the signalling apparatus includes a plurality of bells 10 or other alarm devices included in an electric circuit 12-, together with abattery 1% or other source of power. A signal control box 15 is included in the circuit 12, the wires being connected to terminal posts 16 and 17 respectively. The circuit 12 is normally open at the terminal 16 and provision is made as in the above mentioned Tucker patent for intermittent closing and opening the circuit at this point to transmit code signals to the several alarm devices 10 located at different parts of the factory or store. The signal controlling mechanism for closing the circuit 12 at the terminal 16 includes a switch 18 having a spring contact member 19 secured upon an arm 20 pivoted at 22 upon a framework 2 1; within the signal box 15. The arm 20 is provided with a dog 28 pivoted thereto to permit oscillation of the dog with relation to the arm for a purpose to be described. This dog 28 constitutes an actuating devic for closing the circuit. The dog 28 is arranged to cooperate with successive notches 40 in one of a plurality of rows formed in the surface of a metal cylinder 42. \Vhen the metal cylinder is moved downwardly the sides of the notches cooperating with the bevelled end of the dog 28 operate to force outthe dog. thereby causing the arm 20 to be swung to the right viewing Fig. 1, and closing the circuit at the terminal 16 through the spring contact member 19. As the cylinder continues to move down the dog enters the next notch, being forced therein by a counter-weight 34 secured to the lower partof the arm 20. hlovement of the arm 20 to the left under the influence of the counterweight 3% operates to break the circuit at the terminal 16. The cylinder 4.2 is mounted upon the upper end of an operating rod 4-4 which is extended downwardly through the bottom of the signal box 15. The cylinder 42 is guided in its movement vertically by vertical standards 45 with which grooved ends of a cross-piece 1-7 slidably cooperate as the cylinder moves up and down. A handle 50 is secured to the lower end of the operating rod 44. and in the operation of the controlling mechanism the cylinder 42 is raised by the operator by means of the handle. After the operator releases the handle the cylinder i2 falls under the influence of its weight and the weight of the parts associated therewith. The movement of the cylinder downwardly after having been raised by the operator imparts the necessary movement to the series of notches 4.0 in the particular row with which the actuating device 28 registers, so that the actuating device 28 is caused to be successively moved outwardly by the cooperacion of the bevelled end thereof with edges of successive notches, closing the circuit the terminal 10 as above described to transmitthe code signal.

It is cesirable that the code signal be repeatcd a numb i of times, and for this purpose a number of notches 40 corresponding to the code signal, are located at different intervals along the row, each set being separated by an open space 56 (see Fig. 2) of considerable extent. As the cylinder 4-2 moves downwardly the notches 4,0 in the first set operate to force the circuit actuating de vice 28 outwardly a repeated number of times corresponding to the particular signal. At each outward movement the circuit is closed at the terminal 10 and the cone signal transmitted to the alarm devices. Then as the cylinder 42 continues to move downwardly the circuit actuatin device 28 moves 1"r ely through the intervening open space until the next set of notches is encountered. This produces an interval between successive rope-- titions of the code signal so that each repetition of the signal may be recognized. The notches in each set in each of the rows may be arranged in single or multiple, as for example four successive notches may be provided, in which case, the code signal will be four, or a series of four notches separated by a short interval and followed by a series of three notches, in which case the code signal will be forty-three.

The notches in all of the rows around the cylinder begin at a uniform position near the upper end of the cylinder 42, and it will therefore be observed that those rows in which the code signal has a small number of notches will terminate at a shorter distance from the top of the cylinder 1-2 than in other rows in which larger numbers are used as code signals. Provision is made for limiting the upward movement of the cylinder 42 as it is pushed upwardly by the operator by means of the handle 50 and operating rod 14, so that the height to which the cylinder is raised will correspond to the length of the particular row with which the circuit actuating device 28 is at that instant registering. For this purpose a stop lug is provided at the end of each row. This stop lug 70 is adapted to abut the bottom of a bracket 72 secured to the framework 2 1 immediately below the circuit actuating device 28, as shown in Fig. 1, and as the cylinder is raised, the stop lug 70 of the particular row with which the circuitactuating device 28 registers, comes in contact with the lower portion of the bracket 72 and serves to limit the upward movement of the cylinder. It will therefore be apparent that the hei ht to which the cylinder may be raised is automatically controlled in accordance with the length of the particular code signal.

In order to selectively present the different rows of notches to a position such that the circuit actuating device 28 may register with the particular row in order that the code signal corresponding to that row may be transmitted, provision is made for rotating the cylinder bodily about the operating rod a l as an axis. In the present instance this may be ccomplished only when the cylinder is at the bottom of its stroke so that the rotation of the cylinder during the transmission of any particular code signal is prevented. For this purpose a locking rod is extended downwardly from the top of the framework through a hole in the cross-piece The top of the cylinder is provided with a plurality of holes 82 radially arranged in positions corresponding with each individual row of notches and the lower end of the locking rod 80 terminates just short of the top of the cylinder L2. The rod 80 is positioned so that as the cylinder is rotated succeeding radial holes 82 are brought to register immediately beneath it. It will therefore be apparent that the cylinder may be readily rotated only when in its lowermost position in which the rod does not extend downwardly into the holes 82. During the downward movement of the cylinder in the transmission of any particular code signal the rod 80 extends through one of the holes 82 thereby locking the cylinder from rotation. A springpressed ball 90 received within a hole 92 in the cross-piece 47 sets into the bevelled upper end of one of the holes 82 in the top of the cylinder 42, and in yielding to rotation of the cylinder acts as a feeler to indicate the extent of rotation of the cylinder.

In order that the operator may easily ascertain which of the several rows of notches 40 is in register with the circuit actuating device 28, an indicating mechanism is provided. The indicator comprises a pointer 100, extended from a carriage 102 slidably mounted upon standards 104 in the framework 24. The carriage 102 is secured to a cord 106 extended over an upper pulley 108 and through each of two guide pulleys 110 around a horizontal pulley 112, loosely mounted upon the operating rod and supported upon the bottom of the framework 24:. The ends of the cord 106 pass through holes in the periphery of the pulley and are fastened by set screws. A pin 114 projecting from the upper surface of the pulley 112, is received within a hole in the bottom of the cylinder i2 and acts as a connector so that the cylinder and pulley rotate as a unit upon rotation of the handle 50. As

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the pulley 112 is rotated the carriage 102 is moved up or down to bring the pointer 100 into registration with one of a series of lines upon a chart 116 removably received Within a frame 120 upon the side of the signal box. In practice the name of the man and his code signal are placed upon each of the lines of the chart so that the operator, in order to sound any particular mans code signal turns the operating handle until the pointer registers with the corresponding name and number. This automatically moves the cylinder to bring the corresponding row of notches into registration with the circuit actuating device 28. Then the operator pushes up the handle until the stop lug 70 engages the bracket 72 and thereafter releases the same, thus permitting the cylinder 42 to fall and to transmit through the actuating device 28 the code signal to the several alarm devices in different parts of the building.

In order to govern the descent of the cylinder 42 a governor of any desired or preferred construction is provided. That illustrated in the drawing comprises a gear train 121 upon the final element of which a butterfly fan 122 is provided. The initial gear 124 of the gear train is provided with a pinion 126 which engages a rack 12S secured to the cross-piece 17 upon the top of the cylinder 12. As the cylinder 12 is raised, the rack 128 rotates the pinion 126, but the operation of the gear train is deferred through a ratchet 130 and pawl 132 until the subsequent descent of the cylinder 42. During the descent of the cylinder the rack 128 actuates the pinion 126 and through the gear train, the butterfly governor 122 with the result that the cylinder descends at a uniform and sufficiently slow rate to enable the individual code signals to be transmitted in a clear and desirable manner.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed is In an electric signalling apparatus, a movable cylinder, a movable circuit closing member, said cylinder provided with a. series of rows of notches adapted upon downward movement of the cylinder to actuate the cir cuit closing member in accordance with a particular code signal, and means for stopping the upward movement of the cylinder when the circuit closing member engages the lowermost notch in the row corresponding to the code signal to be given.

FRANK S. TUCKER. 

